Woodplayers’ Charity Cabaret review
‘it is abundantly clear that each performer has a great deal of talent and the Woodplayers’ Charity Cabaret Showcase certainly exhibited this in buckets’
This year’s Collingwood Woodplayers’ Charity Cabaret Showcase has given us a vibrant, dynamic range of performances, all carefully collated into a two-hour spectacle of talent. With skilled performances, thoughtful direction, and considered technical design, the showcase both brought waves of laughter and evoked emotional response – all involved should be proud of such a fabulous production.
The showcase’s vocal performances were engaging and diverse across the board; Imani Randall-Morgan’s ‘When I Look at You’ (The Scarlet Pimpernel) was skilful in both acting and voice, Bethan Crotty’s ‘Dead Mom’ (Beetlejuice) exhibited her effortless belting, and Ella Feltham’s ‘Me and the Sky’ (Come From Away) was instantly endearing. Each performance was a true highlight, exhibiting phenomenal talent and comfort in their respective roles.
On the whole, all showcase pieces were extremely well-chosen and provided an astounding range; for example, Carl Murta’s ‘Being Alive’ (Company) employed intriguing physicality, moving with a hyper-awareness that truly connected with the audience. Converse in tone, the comedic beats of Waitress’ ‘The Negative’ were aptly hit by Randall-Morgan, Alysia Orbell, and Grace Graham, each character distinct in their role and slick in their delivery. The opening act of the second half, Moulin Rouge’s ‘Backstage Romance’ was a comic romp through a medley of songs, the tone shifting with each addition to Raphael Henrion’s lone crooning in a Hispanic accent – his commitment here truly elevated the piece, leaving the audience in fits of laughter.
The closing ensemble acts for each half were particularly strong: the first half’s ‘One Short Day’ from Wicked had stunning choreography, devised by Gia Sanderson and assisted by Graham, as did the second half’s ‘Another Day of Sun’ from La La Land. Both the Emerald City and Los Angeles in each respective song are fully realised by the ensemble cast and lighting choices, the staging too often used to its maximum, with Luna Oladiji as production manager and Lucas Kirby assisting (as well as designing sound) working proficiently to accommodate this. In the same vein, Henrion and Feltham’s performance of Tick, Tick… Boom!’s ‘Therapy’ was dexterously done, with the split stage being utilised by performers and technical designers alike to ultimately create a fully rounded piece.
A standout moment was the metatheatrical interruption of Wicked’s ‘One Short Day’ with Black Mirror’s ‘15 Million Merits’, a gripping monologue delivered by Raphael Henrion. The awkward lingering of the ensemble downstage and lighting onstage rising brought us starkly into questioning our own role as audience members, Henrion bringing grit and desperation to his performance. I wonder whether perhaps the house lights could have come up as well as this to leave the audience really exposed, but the entire sequence exemplified Matthew Lo’s directorial flair in successfully executing an inventive cohesion to the showcase.
The sparser straight theatre pieces were refreshing in both their placement in the running order and their uniqueness. Alice Toner wowed in each of her appearances throughout, yet it was her duologue from The Crucible with Henrion which was particularly impressive. Both actors danced around a palpable tension, with carefully considered levels of expression and a remarkable moment of convincingly well-handled physicality. Henrion’s calculated façade as John Procter paired well with Toner’s fearlessness as Abigail to depict extraordinary suspense between the two, underpinned by an uneasy familiarity.
Graham, too, ought to be commended on her consistently entertaining presence throughout each ensemble number as well as her pieces, injecting an incredible energy into both her polished dancing and her compelling acting. Similarly, Katie Partridge navigated the technical issues which arose in her piece with ease, delivering Dear Evan Hansen’s ‘Waving Through a Window’ with remarkably clear and rich tone as a prominent alto feature.
The calibre of each piece was very high – it is abundantly clear that each performer has a great deal of talent and the Woodplayers’ Charity Cabaret Showcase certainly exhibited this in buckets. On for one more night only, it would be a true shame to miss out on such a thoughtful and varied spectacle.
By Emi Sharples.